Thornton's early career and lyrics with the Ultramagnetic MC's often referenced his time as a patient of Bellevue, a psychiatric hospital, where he was treated for depression. With Ultramagnetic MC's, his abstract style developed, maturing in songs like Poppa Large. He was probably the first rapper to create an alter ego, and then create an alter ego for that alter ego (Kool Keith v. Moe Luv). After the Ultramagnetic MC's broke up, he expanded his resume, experimenting with new styles, including his self-described pornocore, known for pornographic imagery and brutal, abstract lyrics. Sex Style released in 1997, was the showcase for this genre.
Teaming up with Dan the Automator Nakamura under the name Dr. Octagon, Thornton again reinvented his image, recording the self-titled Dr. Octagon album (later reissued under the title Dr. Octagonecologyst) which was released by the English trip hop label Mo Wax. The album received critical acclaim, though mainly from sources outside the mainstream hip-hop community. The critical success of the album helped to open the accessibility of the underground hip hop scene to an appreciative audience. For Dan the Automator, this album laid the foundation for a burgeoning career and accolades as a producer; for Thornton, the success of Dr. Octagonecologyst seemed to put him in danger of being typecast as a "space and Mars" rapper, or an industry tool, which he throughout his career has looked down upon.
His style as a whole is characterized by non sequiturs and bizarre commentary, particularly anal, fecal and genital references. For example, "Chief administrator suck my oil," "Dr. Ludicrous I turn into an octopus," "All this jealousy shit is mayonnaise and celery shit," "Two drinks minimum, don't worry, we're maximum," etc. An instrumental version of the album, Instrumentalyst, showcased the production, became a rising success with most of the credit given to Dan the Automator and other collaborators, even though Thornton is credited on the LP with some production duties.
List of projects, groups and alter-egos:
- Ultramagnetic MC's
- Dr. Octagon
- Dr. Dooom
- Sinister 6000 (Dan the Automator)
- Black Elvis
- Masters of Illusion
- Analog Brothers
- Mr. Nogatco
- Project Polaroid
- Tashan Dorset
- Sex Style
- Ultra
- The Cenobites
- Sergei Khmelev
(this list is incomplete)
A Black Kid Who Think He's White
Kool Keith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh~! No
Kooooooooooooooooool, Keith
The Personal Album
Been there, before where you′re tryin to go
You're not the main attraction, why you actin like the show?
First let′s start with how many people you know
You still drop names occasionally, to advance off your block
How many CD's can you stock?
You'll be dissapointed with aftershock
A inner city person, that think they Woodstock
You′re over the hill, over the bill
Type of pedestrian, to force the look preppie, you can′t be Phil
The A Street look, don't take you up the hill
[Chorus:]
A black kid who think he′s white
A black kid who think he's whiiii-iiii-iii-ite
A black kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid
[Kool Keith:]
Bad upbringing left you cold, accepted by few
Looking in the mirror, you don′t know you
No soul wit'chu, avoiding your uncles and aunts
Stiff on the dancefloor, you′re buying straight leg pants more
You connive to settle the score
Everyday is drizzle for you, rain and fog I fizzle for you
You think woman adore you, many don't hear you
A lot ignore you, a baby with a pacifier
You think people gotta be there for you
Mom's biggest baby, drivin that woman crazy
You′re not innovative, you′re lazy
I made you, you didn't make me, you underestimate me
Even with overweight wannabe millionaires you couldn′t fake me
[Chorus]
[Kool Keith:]
Where's the proper respect? A guy with no manners
Can′t stand the soul food, rather go out Von Dutch
Don't know the real from the fake, lookin for a big shot
Will the misfits fail, I know you better you won′t get the Hollywood break
The superstar birthday party, blow out a celebrity cake
Whatever you got left, is not that hot
One flight of steps, milk the cow for what it's worth
A cursed person, to your last breath
Many floss at the pubs, the effort you give is F
Go home clean up your room, straighten up your mess
Straighten up your mess
[Chorus]
[Keith: singing to the end]
A black kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid
A black kid, who think he's white
Some kind of person who′s thinkin he′s white
A blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack kid~!
A black kid, who thinks he's white white white white white white
A black kid
In Kool Keith's song "A Black Kid Who Think He's White", the rapper speaks directly to a person who he believes is black but acts as if they are white. The lyrics suggest that this person is not true to themselves and tries to fit in with the "main attraction" instead of being their own person. Keith points out that this person drops names and tries to advance based on their connections, which is not true authenticity. Keith also highlights the person's lack of soul and the fact that they are not innovative.
The chorus repeats the line "A black kid who thinks he's white" to drive home the main message of the song. Keith notes that this person had a bad upbringing and doesn't know themselves, leading them to avoid their family and dance stiffly. The person is also concerned with settling scores and thinking that women adore them, but Keith suggests that they are actually ignored by many. The rapper implies that this person is not successful and even with "overweight wannabe millionaires", they couldn't fake him.
The lyrics of "A Black Kid Who Think He's White" suggest that Keith is calling out a person who is not genuine and is trying too hard to fit in with a certain crowd. The rapper emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and not relying on superficial connections to get ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
Been there, before where you're tryin to go
I've already experienced what you're trying to do
You're not the main attraction, why you actin like the show?
You're not the center of attention, so why are you acting like you are?
First let's start with how many people you know
Let's begin by looking at your network
You need juice to rock, boost to rock
You need social connections and backing to succeed
You still drop names occasionally, to advance off your block
You still mention people you know to try to gain an advantage
How many CD's can you stock?
How much success have you actually achieved?
You'll be dissapointed with aftershock
You'll be let down by the aftermath of your actions
A inner city person, that think they Woodstock
A person from the city trying to fit in with a rural, hippie lifestyle
You're over the hill, over the bill
You're past your prime and out of the loop
Type of pedestrian, to force the look preppie, you can't be Phil
You're trying too hard to look preppy, but you can't be someone you're not
The A Street look, don't take you up the hill
Your street style won't get you far in life
Bad upbringing left you cold, accepted by few
Your difficult childhood left you emotionally isolated and few people accept you
Looking in the mirror, you don't know you
You don't have a clear sense of who you are
No soul wit'chu, avoiding your uncles and aunts
You lack depth of character and avoid family interactions
Stiff on the dancefloor, you're buying straight leg pants more
You're not comfortable in your own skin, and compensate with buying trendy clothes
You connive to settle the score
You're always trying to even the playing field
Everyday is drizzle for you, rain and fog I fizzle for you
Your days are mundane and dull, while I bring excitement and energy
You think woman adore you, many don't hear you
You think women love you, but many don't even pay attention to you
A lot ignore you, a baby with a pacifier
Many people ignore you, like an infant with a pacifier
You think people gotta be there for you
You have unrealistic expectations for others to support you
Mom's biggest baby, drivin that woman crazy
Your mother still treats you like her youngest child, and it's driving her crazy
You're not innovative, you're lazy
You lack creativity and are content with doing the bare minimum
I made you, you didn't make me, you underestimate me
You owe your success to me, and you don't realize how much I have influenced you
Even with overweight wannabe millionaires you couldn't fake me
Even in the presence of people trying too hard to be successful, you still can't match my authenticity
Where's the proper respect? A guy with no manners
You lack respect for others, and have no sense of proper etiquette
Can't stand the soul food, rather go out Von Dutch
You're not interested in your cultural heritage, and prefer superficial things like brand names
Don't know the real from the fake, lookin for a big shot
You can't distinguish genuine people from fake ones, and are always looking for a shortcut to success
Will the misfits fail, I know you better you won't get the Hollywood break
You'll never make it big in Hollywood, even though you side with the underdogs
The superstar birthday party, blow out a celebrity cake
You attend parties hosted by famous people, where you get to eat cake
Whatever you got left, is not that hot
What you have left to offer isn't that impressive
One flight of steps, milk the cow for what it's worth
You're easily satisfied with small accomplishments and won't push yourself further
A cursed person, to your last breath
You're doomed to a life of bad luck and misfortune
Many floss at the pubs, the effort you give is F
Others try to impress people at the bar, but your attempts fall flat
Go home clean up your room, straighten up your mess
You need to take care of your personal life and be responsible for your own mess
Contributed by Aria G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.